It seems they are becoming more popular and wide spread. We have them in Hotels, Airports, Up market Car dealers and rail stations. However what do we get and are they worthwhile.  At airports you can gain access to lounges through Priority Pass if not travelling in premium class seats.

http://www.prioritypass.com/

This can be bought and has access to some 350 lounges at most Airports worldwide. We have pours through Amex Platinum card as complimentary. It does not matter in what class of air travel you are travelling, just check the location prior to departure and present your card. The lounges are often shared with business class airline passengers so are very pleasant places to wait in comfort.

We have Crowne Plazas with Lounges entry seems to be for club rooms that you can, if lucky be upgraded to. The one lounge we have experience of is the Crowne Plaza at London Gatwick Airport. It is not that large but had a friendly and helpful staff. Entry was by room key card. We had an early Breakfast there and it was with a reasonable choice of the continental variety. There were beers and soft drinks available.

The intercontinental Lounges are a different matter. We have experienced about half a dozen and entry is, if you have not booked a club room, by luck of the draw. One year as an Ambassador in the IC Aphrodite Hills Cyprus we were invited to use the lounge, and very excellent it was to, the second year as a Royal Ambassador on the same room deal we were denied entry.

Now we paid for the Lounge in the following ICs: - Malta, Vienna, and Budapest in the last 12 months and the experience was well worth the extra cost. In Malta the lounge had a grand terrace with far reaching views. There were some interesting books on the shelves and plenty of comfortable sofas. The food for the complimentary Breakfast was ample with a reasonable choice of both hot and cold dishes. The evening snacks were adequate and if as we had had a larger lunch.

Both Vienna and Budapest had very excellent lounges with very good breakfast selections and a small lunch buffet. The Evening selections were again very good. Malta and Vienna had spirits on offer in the early Evenings but Budapest limited this to fine wines. In all these lounges the reception staff are as well versed in local knowledge as the concierge desk and will arrange things for you as well. This is were you register as a guest and settle your account.

So it is a case of evaluating the perceived benefits against the extra costs. We are due in the London IC this week end but I baulk at the extra cost here as it is said to be £80 ($130) I will ask for a viewing of it to get an impression of what is available.